Bicycle fender flaring apparatus



H. J.'.M CAULEY, JR

BICYCLE FENDER FLARING APPARATUS May 19, 1970 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Filed April 26, 1968 INVENTOR. HERBERT NC came) ihl mmim -o ATTORNEYS H. J. M CAULEY, JR 3,512,390 BICYCLE FENDER FLARING APPARATUS May 19, 1970 .4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1968 INVENTOR. HERBERT J Nc CAL LE) BY M AT TORNEYS' May 19, 1970 H J. M CAULEY, JR BICYCLE F NDER FLARING APPARATUS v4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 26, 1968 INVENTOR. HERBERT d. Me C0046) rrop/vsys y 1970 H.-J. M CAULEY, JR 3,512,390 BICYCLE FENDER FLARING APPARATUS v I Filed April 26, 1968 .4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. HERBERT J. NcCAULl-Y A z TORNE Y5 United States Patent O 3,512,390 BICYCLE FENDER FLARING APPARATUS Herbert J. McCauley, Jr., 86 Dana Road, Buffalo, NY. 14221 Filed Apr. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 724,489 Int. Cl. B21d 11/04, 7/04 US. Cl. 72-322 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to sheet metal forming and more particularly to a final forming operation in the manufacture of bicycle fenders or similar workpieces. In such final forming step a fender which has previously been formed to provide the usual C-shaped or semi-circular transverse cross section and to extend arcuately along its length is formed at one end to reverse a portion of such arcuate' curvature and thus produce an outwardly flaring end portion.

It is desired that such reverse curvature be produced while maintaining the transverse curvature of the fender and while maintaining a substantially constant width throughout. To produce this reverse curvature without wrinkling the metal is exceedingly diflicult.

In conventional metal drawing operations a marginal portion of the work sheet is gripped and held while the metal sheet is drawn over a male die member. This marginal gripping prevents wrinkling of the portion of the metal which is being drawn and this marginal portion is subsequently trimmed oif. Such procedure cannot be followed in the forming operation to which the present invention is directed since the fender is formed from a metal strip and there is no trimming allowance.

An ordinary metal stamping operation is likewise not feasible due to unavoidable wrinkling and general distortion of the metal. Furthermore, the preliminary forming of the fender up to the point where the end thereof is to be reversely curved cold works the metal to a degree which makes further forming especially diflicult.

In view of the foregoing and other difficulties, the only method in general use for effecting this reverse curving or flaring of the ends of bicycle fenders is very cumbersome, uneconomical, and at best produces formations which are not entirely free of wrinkles. This present conventional method consists in first heating the end of the fender to be curved to anneal the same and thus neutralize the previous cold working of the metal, then subjecting the fender to a series of hammering operations in a punch press, the hammering operations beginning at one end of the portion to be reversely curved and proceeding therealong to accomplish the reverse forming in a series of steps or increments. The fact that this method is widely used for flaring bicycle fenders despite its obvious practical objections and relatively high cost is believed to demonstrate clearly the inherent difficulty of producing the desired reversal of curvature at the fender ends.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In proceeding in accordance with the principles of the Patented May 19, 1970 present invention means are provided whereby the preformed arcuately extending fender is reversely curved by a metal forming operation which combines the teachings of roll forming with die forming. A female die has a cavity which fits the exterior of an arcuate fender along a portion adjacent to the end which is to be reversely formed. This cavity extends to form a reversely curved cavity portion. A clamp member which is contoured to fit the interior of the fender is locked within the fender to clamp the same against the die cavity with the end portion of the fender extending over the aforesaid cavity extension.

Thereupon, a forming roller whose periphery matches the interior of the fender is moved against the interior of the fender under fluid pressure to bear against the same with yieldable pressure of suificient magnitude to effect forming of the fender. Initially the forming roll engages the fender interior adjacent to the juncture of the two reversely curved cavity portions. The female die is then rotated on an axis which is located generally in the area of the center of curvature of the reversely curved portion of the cavity, whereby the fender is progressively rolled into such portion to produce therein a reverse curvature without altering the transverse curvature of the fender and without wrinkling or other distortion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a general side elevational'view of one form of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a generally horizontal cross sectional view taken approximately on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary central vertical cross sectional View through the forming roll and die portion of the apparatus viewed generally as in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of a fender, namely the end opposite to that which is to be formed in the present apparatus;

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are views similar to FIG. 5 but showing successive steps in the operation of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a work clamp member of the apparatus;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the female die member of the apparatus; and

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of the end of a fender following the roll forming of such end in the apparatus of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The general supporting framework of the apparatus illustrated in the drawings is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as comprising four vertical corner angle iron members 10 which are fixed at their lower ends to a pair of horizontal base rail members 11. The upper ends of the vertical members 10 are fixed to the corners of a top plate member 12 which supports a fluid pressure operating cylinder 13.

A piston rod 14 extends downwardly from cylinder '13 and is fixed to a plate 15 which is guided for accurate vertical movement by means of guide pins 16 which slide vertically in bearing openings in top plate member 12. A bifurcated member 20 extends downwardly from plate 15 and supports a forming roll 21 for free rotation. The transverse cross section of the periphery of forming roll 21 is substantially the same as the interior transverse contour of the fender.

ing roll '21 'o 'e-ratesand the means-"fer su porting-the workpiece relative to such die will now be described. A bed member 25 is fixed within the uprights 10 and carries a-pair of bearings 26 which support a rock shaft 27 which pivotally supports a rocking platform member 30 in the form of an inverted channel. Pivotal movements of platform 39 on rock shaft 27 are produced by a fiuid pressure cylinder 31 which is pivotally connected at its lower ends between the base rails 11 and has a connecting rod 32 which is pivoted at its upper end to platform 30.

The female die against which the male forming roll 21 coacts is designated 35 and is fixed to platform 30 in a position generally in vertical alignment with forming roll 21 and rock shaft 27. As shown in FIG. 11, female die 35 has a cavity in its upper surface which is of substantially the'same transverse cross section as the exterior of the fender which comprises the workpiece. One portion of the cavity, designated 36, is of the same arcuate curvature longitudinally as the arcuate curvature of the fender.

The cavity of the female die block 35 has a further portion 37 which forms a longitudinal continuation of portion 36 and is of substantially the same transverse sectional curvature but is reversely curved in a longitudinal direction. This reverse curvature may be arcuate or otherwise but the reverse longitudinal curves which define the cavity portions 36 and 37 are tangent. The longitudinal curve forming cavity portion 37 may be arcuate and concentric with the axis of rock shaft 27, although this is not a necessary limitation.

The initial position of a fender in the apparatus is shown in FIG. 5, the fender being designated F. The exterior of the fender rests snugly in the portion 36 of the die cavity and the fender is lock-ed longitudinally by means of an arm 40 which is pivoted to platform 30 as at 41 and is yieldably urged in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in PEG. by a compression coil spring 42 which acts between platform 30 and a bracket 43 carried by arm 40. An adjustable set screw 44 determines the initial position of arm 40.

A locking pin 45 is carried by a block 46 which is vertically adjustable along a slot 47 of arm 40. Pin 45 engages an opening normally provided in fenders of this class for mounting the same, as shown in FIG. 6, and thus positions and locates the opposite end of fender F to determine the projection of such opposite end and the degree of reverse flaring curvature to be provided.

After the fender is positioned as just described and as shown in FIG. 5 the fender is clamped with respect to female die 35 by the following means and in the following manner. A pair of levers 50 are pivoted to opposite sides of the die block 35 and a transverse rod 51 at the opposite ends of levers 50 serves as a manipulating handle. Levers 50 are normally urged upwardly by compression coil spring devices 52. A locking block 53 which is shown in detail in FIG. has an external curvature 54 which matches the transverse internal curvature of fender F and is also curved longitudinally as shown in FIG. 5. Block 53 is pivoted between levers 50 by a pin 56.

With the fender F positioned as previously described levers 50 are manually pulled down by means of bar 51 against the resistance of spring 52 until a cross pin 58 of levers 50 engages in a notch 59 in an arm (it) which is pivoted to platform 30 and urged in a clockwise direction by an extension coil spring 61. This engages clamp block 53 within the fender F and firmly holds the latter in close engagement with the portion 36 of the cavity in female die 35 as illustrated in FIG. 7.

At this point the operator actuates a manual valve 65 to apply fluid'opera'ting pressure to cylinder 13 and bring the forming roll 21 downwardly against, the interior of the fender as shc-wn in FIG. 8, the roll 21 havinga transverse periphe ral cross section matching the interior peripheral curvature of fender F.

After the fender has thus been clamped and the form- 'ing "roll is engaged forcibly but yieldably against the fender interior, the operator further manipulates manual valve 65 to activate cylinder 31 to move piston rod 32 downwardly and thus rotate platform 30 and female die 35 in a clockwise direction as shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings to thus engage the end of fender F in rolling contact with forming roll 21 whereby the downward force of the latter rolls the metal of the fender progressively into intimate engagement with the reversely curved portion 37 of female die 35.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention will occur to those skilled in this art in the light of the teachings of the foregoing disclosure. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallydescribed above.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for forming a longitudinally arcuate workpiece of C-shaped transverse section, such as a bl cycle fender, to reverse the arcuate curvature of an end portion thereof, said apparatus comprising die means providing a cavity having a portion fitting the external curvature of said fender and a continuing longitudinal portion of similar transverse curvature but of reverse longitudinal curvature, means for holding said fender in said first cavity portion with an end portion of said fender extending over said second cavity portion, a forming roll having a periphery whose transverse section corresponds to the interior transverse curvature of said fender, means for disposing said forming roll within the fender approximately at the juncture of said two cavity portions, and means for rotating said die means about an axis approximating the center of curvature of said second cavity portion, whereby said second cavity portion and said overhanging fender portion are rotated against said forming roll to produce said reverse curvature therein.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including yieldable means for urging said forming roll against the interior of said fender during the rotation of said die means thereagainst.

3. Appar-atus according to claim 1 wherein said holding rneans is manually movable to and from its holding position.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said holding means is contoured to match the interior of said fender and engages the same to clamp the fender against said first cavity portion of said die means.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said holding rneans is manually movable to and from its holding position.

6. Apparatus for forming a longitudinally arcuate workpiece of C-shaped transverse section, such as a bicycle =fender, to reverse the arcuate curvature of an end portion thereof, said apparatus comprising die means providing a cavity having a portion fitting the external curvature of said fender and a continuing longitudinal portion of similar transverse curvature but of reverse longitudinal curvature, means for holding said fender in said first c-avity portion with an end portion of said fender extending over said second cavity portion, a forming roll having a periphery whose transverse section corresponds to the interior transverse curvature of said fender, means for disposing said forming roll within the fender approximately at the juncture of said two cavity portions, and means for moving said die means curvilinearly in approximation of the curvature of said second cavity portion, whereby said second cavity portion and said overhanging fender portion are moved against said forming roll to produce said reverse curvature in the latter.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 including yieldable means for urging said forming roll against the interior of said fender during movement of said die means and fender against said forming roll.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said holding means is contoured to match the interior of said fender and engages the same to clamp the fender against said first cavity portion of said die means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,239,165 9/1917 Davis et a1. 72-217 Drysdale 72322 Hoif 72215 Pontin-g 72217 X Schweitzer 72322 X US. Cl. X.R. 

